Your Role in Creating A Strong Team Culture

Over the past few editions, we've looked closely at the importance of team dynamics—understanding the core concepts, shifting from competition to collaboration, navigating conflict, and exploring how strong teams support career growth.

But there's one essential piece left: you. Yes, you! 

While systems, leadership, and team culture all play significant roles, every team is ultimately a collection of individuals. How you show up—your mindset, behaviour, communication style, and willingness to engage—can reinforce healthy dynamics or contribute to ongoing challenges.

This final edition invites you to (re)view inward. What do you bring to your team each day? Are you contributing to the environment you want to work in—or unintentionally reinforcing dynamics that drain you and others?

Let's explore what it means to be an active, conscious participant in your team—and how to balance showing up fully without over-functioning or losing yourself.

Your impact on team culture

It's easy to think of team culture as something abstract or "out there" that happens to us. In reality, culture is shaped by small, repeated actions: the way we communicate, respond to stress, provide feedback, share information, and support one another.

Every eye roll, every moment of listening, every act of kindness, and every instance of avoidance—all of these add up to a shared culture.

While you might not be able to change the entire system or fix every dynamic, your choices create a ripple effect. They influence how others behave and feel, and they either move the team toward health or further entrench unhealthy patterns.

Self-Awareness: The starting point

To contribute positively to your team, you first need to know yourself. This means understanding:

• Your triggers: What situations or behaviours tend to activate frustration, defensiveness, or withdrawal?

• Your strengths: Where do you naturally shine in a team setting? Are you a great organiser, a calm presence, a creative problem-solver?

• Your habitual responses: Do you tend to take over when things go wrong, become passive to keep the peace, or avoid conflict entirely?

• Your needs: What helps you feel safe, valued, and motivated at work?

Self-awareness isn't about self-criticism. It's about developing a compassionate understanding of your patterns so you can act more intentionally and flexibly.

The difference between engagement and over-functioning

Many allied health practitioners are natural helpers—drawn to service, invested in supporting others and motivated to make things (for others) better. These qualities are strengths, but they can also tip into over-functioning if left unchecked.

Over-functioning might look like:

• Taking on tasks that aren't yours to "save" the team or protect clients

• Constantly volunteering to fill gaps, even when you're at capacity

• Managing others' emotional states or conflicts to keep the peace (feeling responsible for others' emotions)

• Feeling resentful when others don't match your effort

When we over-function, we step out of our role and rob others of the opportunity to take responsibility. Over time, this can lead to burnout and resentment and reinforce unhealthy team dynamics.

Engagement, in contrast, means:

• Contributing your skills and insights confidently and clearly

• Holding your boundaries and trusting others to do their part

• Supporting colleagues without fixing or rescuing

• Being present and responsive without sacrificing your well-being

Practical ways to "Show Up" intentionally

Here are tangible ways to demonstrate a positive, constructive presence in your team:

1. Communicate clearly and directly: Say what you mean, kindly and transparently. Avoid indirect or passive-aggressive comments. Direct communication reduces misunderstandings and models openness.

2. Hold your boundaries: If something isn't your responsibility, it's okay to say no or redirect. Boundaries aren't walls—they're guideposts that help teams function effectively.

3. Listen before reacting: When conflict or tension arises, pause. Listen deeply to understand rather than defend. A moment of genuine curiosity can transform an entire interaction.

4. Celebrate others: Acknowledge colleagues' contributions openly. Small acts of recognition foster trust, boost morale and encourage more collaborative behaviour.

5. Seek feedback: Invite input on your communication style, contributions, and teamwork. Show that you're open to growth and model vulnerability in a professional way.

6. Reflect Regularly: Take time (through active reflections, supervision, or peer discussion) to explore your impact on the team. What went well this week? Where might I have contributed to tension or disconnection? What could I try differently?

Reflection Prompts

To deepen this reflection and exploration, consider the following questions:

• What energy or attitude do I bring to the team most days?

• Where am I most proud of how I've contributed to team culture?

• When have I crossed from engagement to over-functioning? What led me there?

• What kind of teammate do I want to be known as?

• What one small change could I make to better support the culture I want to be part of?

These questions are not meant to judge—they're invitations to grow.

What if you feel powerless?

Sometimes, it can feel like no matter what you do, the larger system (we all know the complexity of the health industry) or certain individuals in your team won't change. While you can't control others, you do have power over your own actions and responses.

Start with what is within your control:

• Your communication

• Your self-awareness

• Your participation (or deliberate non-participation) in certain dynamics

• Your choices about seeking support or advocating for change

Remember: small shifts add up. Even when change feels slow or invisible, your commitment to showing up differently matters.

Leading without a title

Leadership isn't about position—it's about influence and integrity. You don't need to be a manager or senior clinician to lead your team.

Leadership is found in:

• Modelling healthy communication and boundaries

• Holding space for others' ideas

• Encouraging reflection and learning

• Staying steady during challenges

• Acting in line with your values, even when it's difficult

When you lead in these ways, you invite others to do the same. Slowly, this can transform even the most challenging team environments.

Final Thought

"How you show up matters. Every day, in small and big ways, you are shaping the culture around you."

As we conclude this series, remember that strong team dynamics don't happen by accident—they are built through intentional, collective effort. And while complex systems and leadership play significant roles, your contribution is just as crucial.

You have the power to be part of the solution, to nurture an environment where both you and your colleagues can thrive, and to model the kind of culture you want to see in the wider health sector.

Thank you for taking the time to read through this series. I hope these reflections have helped you see that team dynamics aren't just about smoother meetings or fewer conflicts—they are deeply connected to the kind of practitioner you want to be and the career you want to build. 

When you understand how you present yourself, how you interact with others, and how you contribute to your team, you open doors to more meaningful work, deeper professional growth, and greater satisfaction in your role. Ultimately, the most rewarding career isn't just about your individual achievements but about the connections you nurture, the impact you have on those around you, and the environment you help create along the way. 

I hope that this series empowers you to lead with intention, shape your team culture with confidence, and move forward toward a career that truly aligns with your values and vision.